This is a strong plus for traders who want reliability and scaled execution.

2. Greater Customization & Control

If you want more than simply following someone, bots give you the ability to fine-tune: risk levels, stop-loss/take-profit, strategy logic, asset selection, etc. As the OKX article notes, bot trading gives you decision-making authority: you define criteria; copy trading delegates decisions to someone else.

In practice this means you’re not just entrusting capital to a leader whose strategy may shift—you can align the bot to your risk profile, timeframe or style.

3. Scalability & Consistency

Bots are naturally built for scale: they can run 24/7, across multiple pairs or markets, and don’t suffer fatigue or emotional drawdowns the way humans do. The BitUnix blog points out the advantage of bots in “time efficiency and 24/7 trading” versus manual or human-led systems.

So for traders (or platforms like BuddyTrading) seeking to publish many strategies, support many users, or build a marketplace of strategies, bots offer a more scalable backbone.

4. Hybrid Approach: Best Of Both Worlds

Since many modern platforms allow you to copy a leader and then/or automate via bot, you can blend human insight + algorithmic speed. Some “copy bot” systems are essentially the middle ground: you pick a proven strategy, the bot executes it automatically. That gives you the low effort of copy trading plus the automation benefits of bots.

For instance, Cryptohopper describes “copy bots” that mirror experienced traders but via automated bots.

For many users, this hybrid is the sweet spot: minimal setup, human-driven strategy, but instant execution.

But Copy Traders Still Have Strong Merits

To keep balanced: while copy bots lean stronger for many use-cases, copy trading isn’t without value.

• Accessibility: If you’re brand-new, have limited time, or no interest in setting up bots, copy trading is far simpler. Pick someone, copy them, sit back (to a degree). Pokémon simplicity.
• Learning from humans: You can observe the decisions of expert traders, see how they react in markets, build intuition. That human-to-human mentoring effect is harder with purely bot-driven systems.
• Less initial tech barrier: You don’t necessarily need to understand algorithmic logic, backtesting, risk parameters, etc. With copy trading you just pick the trader to follow.
• Diversification via trader selection: You can potentially follow multiple traders with different styles to spread risk (though this isn’t free of risk).

Key Risk & “Gotchas” to Be Aware Of

Whichever path you choose (or both), there are caveats.

Copy Trader Risks

• You’re reliant on the lead trader’s performance, style and consistency. If they change strategy, take excessive risk, or have a bad run, your copy could suffer.
• Latency or “slippage”—the human takes an action, then the system replicates it; delays can cost you.
• Hidden risk: Even if a trader has stellar past results, past performance is not guarantee of future.
• Limited control: You typically can’t tweak each trade—so maybe you’d prefer different risk sizing, exit logic, etc but you’re locked into their behaviour.

Bot-Based Risks

• Requires good algorithm or strategy design: a poorly configured bot = automated losses. Reference: the blog mentions that bots need monitoring and proper programming.
• Market conditions change: A bot fitted to a certain pattern might underperform in a different regime if not updated or adjusted.
• Technical/operational risk: Bot software bugs, exchange API issues, connectivity downtime, etc.
• Over-automation risk: Sometimes human oversight is still necessary—blindly running a bot without supervision can create false confidence.

Recommended Approach (for Most Users)

1. Start simple: If you are new, consider a small allocation to copy trading (to learn) and a small allocation to a trusted bot strategy.
2. Vet your bots & leaders: Whether you’re copying a trader or using a bot, check track record, drawdown, how they handle risk, what market conditions they’ve operated in.
3. Diversify: Don’t put everything in one leader or one bot. Spread risk across different strategies, styles, asset classes.
4. Monitor & adapt: Bots aren’t “set-and-forget” (though they feel like it). Markets evolve. Leaders change. Stay on top of performance and optionally adjust parameters/allocations.
5. Align with your goals: If your goal is learning and building intuition, copy trading offers that human insight. If your goal is automation, efficiency, scale, bots are better.
6. Use trusted platforms: Ensure the platform offering the bot or copy service is transparent, regulated/legit, has clear fee structure and performance data.
7. Be realistic: Automated or copy strategies don’t guarantee profits. They reduce certain burdens (research, execution) but they don’t eliminate risk.

You don’t need to code a bot or chase signals. Just pick a strategy, click Copy Bot, and let BuddyTrading do the rest.

Sign up now to receive $20 in trading credits and test all top-performing bots with no fees required